Year Zero Project and other ARG's

[CodyParticipant]

Some of you are familliar, some are not. So heres a very brief rundown.

Year Zero is an alternate reality game (ARG) based on the Nine Inch Nails concept album of the same name, its expected follow-up, and a possible accompanying film or television project.[1] Although the album was released on April 16, 2007 in Europe, and the following day worldwide,[2] the game has been underway since roughly February 12, 2007 and was expected to continue for approximately eighteen months.[3] The game was created by 42 Entertainment, the same group responsible for the Halo 2 promotional alternative reality game I Love Bees.[4][5] Trent Reznor, frontman and sole member of the band, has called the game “a new entertainment form”.[4] In response to criticism[6] regarding the promotion of the album, Reznor stated:

The term “marketing” sure is a frustrating one for me at the moment. What you are now starting to experience IS “year zero”. It’s not some kind of gimmick to get you to buy a record – it IS the art form… and we’re just getting started. Hope you enjoy the ride.[7]

I feel that there could be alot to learn from other arg’s of the tension variety.
Its all there, Conspiracy, puzzles, truth,fringe and hope.
There is much I have learned by studying this as well as other ARG’s.
There is a great wealth of information that is pertinent to the building of communities to unravel these types of mysteries in the “Human systems tension” thread.
I was hoping to get some other light readers to review some of the materials and see what light your perspectives can shed on the application of some of these methods.
I’m sure if I sat on it long enough it would come to me, maybe with a lot of trial and error. hahaha.
I am genuinely curious to hear your guys thoughts on these other ARG’S and how we could perhaps use the lessons learned by past ventures mistakes and successes.
Plus there could be some inspiration from one of you who would see things in a different light than myself.

In the “human systems” thread there is an article.. quite long, that describes another ARG that took place in 04 called thelittlebeefarm or something like that.
The amount of community building that was done in this project is unparalleled to anything I have heard about before or since. I hope that at least some of you will find the time to review these materials and share your thoughts.

This is an attempt to build and strengthen community.
In truth and light.

• This topic was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by  Melissa.

[Anonymous]

Cody, I don’t think that this experience has anything to do with Year Zero.
I’ve been doing ARGs since 2001. Not all of them are about conspiracy. I was part of the largest ARG community in history. And we never once turned on each other, or suspected each other of anything.

[CodyParticipant]

I do not wish this to be a spillover of that other negative thread. I thought you coudnt handle the negativity?, and yet here you are breathing life back into that which was left for dead.
Do not propogate this negative aspect of today. Lets try to build for tomorrow. That after all, was the intent of this thread.

As much as I would like to challange your comments.. I leave them there to die.
Putting best foot forward.

[CodyParticipant]

Ths experince is not year zero.. I never said that it was. There are similarities. That was all I pointed out. hahah.
So I guess this is how its going to be from now on then? So be it. I will not be swayed.
There is much that can be learned from other experiences. This is my point.
Just as reading a book can impart lessons.
Anyone have anything useful to add?

[MikeParticipant]

The Year Zero ARG has a lot of valuable lessons that we can all learn from. I personally have tried to find things that might be hiding based on things I learned from it. It was really well done for what it was and totally worked.

[Jake OParticipant]

I agree. I think, as Cody points out, they are combining a bunch of experiences to create something new. He is not wrong to associate aspects of tension with year zero in my opinion. However, let’s remember the apostrophe button on the homepage, it is not any one of the things people think it is. Not arg, not immersive theater, not a haunt, etc

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by  Jake O.

[MikeParticipant]

Jake – I love ya, so that’s why I’m being my typical self here, BUT..it doesn’t say that this is NOT any of those things, it says “You need not ask us if” it’s any of those things 😛

This experience is what we make of it. We are building it each day and creating what comes next. It can be whatever we want it to be. With that being said, I welcome any and all talk about ARGs or anything else that has a similar tone. I agree with @sovereignskies. We CAN learn from things that have come before

[Jake OParticipant]

Lol, forgive my poor writing. What you said is exactly what I was trying to say! That’s why you make such a damn good scribe!

[111_errorParticipant]

[Jake OParticipant]

i strongly support this, Pilkington makes everything better

[Anonymous]

Alright y’all. I was just trying to help defuse a situation. I’ll go back to puking on my kitchen floor now.

[PuppetGirlParticipant]

Hugs Megan. Remind me when you are feeling better to ask about the ARGs you’ve done. I’m super curious. I only learned that term a couple of months ago.

[Author]

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